Things You'll Need:
- Checkbook Wallets
- Etiquette Books
-
Step 1
Decide on a gender-neutral term to use when referring to each other. Good examples include "life partner" and "significant other."
-
Step 2
Avoid using overly possessive language when referring to your significant other in conversation.
-
Step 3
Split up tasks equally between both partners to avoid conforming to traditional gender roles. Men should be able to buy feminine hygiene products, and women should have no trouble taking the car in for repairs.
-
Step 4
Take turns paying for things like meals, movies and cab rides.
-
Step 5
Avoid gendered terminology like "henpecked" and "he/she wears the pants in this relationship."
-
Step 6
Avoid taking on or assigning a permanent subservient role. Although no relationship will be perfectly equal at all times, general control should be evenly distributed between both partners.
Comments
GetATrip said
on 2/22/2009 Well if nothing else you certainly wrote about a "touchy" subject. Reading these comments shows how opinionated people are. It's actually a good thing. We all have our gender roles and how we play out our dramas is what makes people and relationships unique. Each relationship has a "living" energy to it and it's good to be open and flexible to the growth of the relationship. But some of your bias is old school women's lib. You're maybe 40 years too late with this article-- hate to say it! 5* for stirring s**t up !!!
tom12 said
on 1/20/2009 Now go fix my dinner woman, and where's the paper, my pipe and my gd slippers?
moonqueen said
on 12/13/2008 Wow...aside from being a weense too hardcore gender neutral to be realistic I thought everything in this article was right on point. Men like traditional gender roles because it often leaves them with little of the work, emotionally or around the home, and most of the power. Women like traditional roles because...wait, I can't fathom why any woman would. Fear? Cowardice? Wanting to be taken care of because they can't do it themselves? Buying into what TV tells them they should act like? I could continue but none of it would be positive. Wake up. The only thing more disgusting than wanting someone to be a slave is thinking it's okay to be one because it's "traditional" and you buy society's status quo bull.
jonnysgirl said
on 11/7/2008 Not a very good article- It IS 2008!!
amfaber84 said
on 8/18/2008 I don't agree with everything this person has suggested but what's wrong with striving for a 50/50 relationship? It's nice to take turns paying for things and I think splitting up household duties is a wonderful thing! Please, let's step out of the 50s.